Scientists built a soundtrack to lure baby corals to their cyborg reef
Sounds of a healthy reef coaxed coral larvae to settle on artificial structures in Hawai’i—a possible start to “hybrid” reefs, part natural, part built.
Scientists have created a "cyborg reef" using artificial materials to attract baby corals. The team from the University of California San Diego and the University of Hawai’i tested sculpted stone blocks and recordings of reef sounds in an experiment off the island of O’ahu. The hardened clay cones with spiral fissures and cinderblocks coated in bacterial film were among the structures placed in the water.
The coral larvae preferred these artificial habitats over plain cinderblocks. The scientists also played recordings of the sounds emitted by healthy reefs, which boosted coral larvae settlement rates by two times compared to areas without the sound. The researchers believe the combination of acoustic enrichment, engineered habitats, and living materials could help build coral reefs that blend engineering and biology, acting as wave breaks and protecting coastal infrastructure.
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